From a stunning strike from the halfway line in the last minute to tricky footwork and emphatic finishes, our clashes with United have always been full of drama.
As we prepare for our final game in N17 this season, with Marc Skinner’s side the visitors, here are five of the best in previous meetings…
While the final result wasn’t the one we wanted, with an Ella Toone brace, Christen Press header and Jess Sigworth strike giving United a healthy advantage, Alanna Kennedy produced a fantastic free-kick late on to grab a consolation goal. After good work from Rosella Ayane to win the free-kick on the edge of the area, around 20 yards out and in a central position, the Australia international stepped over the ball and sent a wonderful, curling right-footed effort into the top corner. Although it didn’t make much impact in the final result, it was the first goal we scored against United in England’s top flight at the time.
Ria Percival became an integral part of our squad in the early years of our WSL journey but her very first goal in England’s top flight as a Lilywhite was one to remember. In November, 2021, at The Hive, we found ourselves one-goal down to Alessia Russo’s strike on the stroke of half time and it looked destined that the visitors would go on to claim all three points in the contest. However, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, the New Zealand international lined up a free-kick, five yards into the United half on the left side, and her delivery bounced inside the area, evading everyone inside the box before finding the top corner to level the scores, which sparked jubilant scenes in north London.
Bethany England leads the way for the most goals scored by a Women’s player at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, netting six in total, but arguably the most impressive one came against United in their first trip to N17. Having fallen behind after Leah Galton handed the visitors the lead, our captain responded in emphatic fashion to grab an equaliser out of nowhere. Cutting in from the left-hand side, Bethany curled low into the far bottom corner and out of reach from Mary Earps, completing the move with a knee slide in front of a packed crowd. Unfortunately we were unable to hold on to the equaliser, with United regaining the lead before going on to secure the win.
Just over a year after Bethany’s strike described above, Jess Naz produced a lovely finish at Leigh Sports Village. Our number nine grabbed an equaliser on the stroke of the half hour mark to cancel out Melvine Malard’s opener and, two minutes later, one of our own, Jess, put us ahead in the contest. Matilda Vinberg picked out the England international just outside the box, she then showcased some lovely footwork to create space before picking out the top left corner with an excellent left-footed strike. That goal looked like it was enough to secure our first-ever competitive win over United but, in the second minute of stoppage time, Maya Le Tissier delivered a sucker-punch, heading home an equaliser.
The fifth and final goal from our catalogue comes from the reverse fixture with United earlier in the campaign, with all three from that game arguably in contention to round this all off. However, we cannot overlook the magic in the build-up from Olivia Holdt and the emphatic finish from Martha Thomas. Turning her marker with ease inside our own half, Oli charged towards United’s box with no one to stop her before sliding in Martha on the right of the area and she made no mistake against her former side, firing home into the roof of the net.